DECEMBER 2016

A Very Un-Moody FoodieMemories Once Forgotten - The Perfect Christmas GiftsShared Office Space Rental in the Heart of MariettaSusquehanna Stage Company

Announces a Pulitzer Prize Winning SeasonBreakfast anyone? Heart CaféTokens of History: Of a Brother’s BloodMarietta Restoration Associates Holding T-Shirt Sale to

Fund Clock ImprovementsFirst National Bank Building to Become “First National Escape”Marietta Community House Committee to Launch Digital Walking Tour of Marietta

INSIDE THIS ISSUE...

The Marietta Restoration Associates (MRA) Candlelight Tour of Homes is the longest consistently running house tour in the United States. The Golden Anniversary Tour, held in 2015, was amazing and we expect the tour to be even better this year. Thanks to the generosity of our homeowners, our many volunteers and our residents we’re able to put on this great event each year.

The Candlelight Tour for this year features eight beautifully decorated homes. In addition to the house tours, numerous other wonderful attractions will be available to tour goers such as: The Susquehanna Stage Company and Dickens’ Market, the Musselman/Vesta Iron Furnace Center, wine tasting hosted by Nissley Vineyards at The Marietta Community House, the Old Town Hall Museum, the Union Meeting House, and the Atlantic Station featuring Half Nuts Popcorn. For even more to see and do, tour goers can check out New Hope Church on Pine and Market, the train exhibit hosted by CoolTrains, the Gingerbread House Contest, the various artists and craftspeople at several locations, the Rivertown Trolley, and the Jane Austen Society Carolers dressed in period costume. Numerous hospitality stations will be around town for the convenience and comfort of ticket holders.

Last year, James Landis wrote a wonderful book entitled “Candlelight Tours of Marietta 1966-2015”, as a gift to the town and MRA. The book features the histories and photographs of all the homes that have been featured on tour for the past fifty years. You can be purchase a signed copy at this year’s tour or online for $20 by going to the MRA website (mariettarestoration.org).

In addition to our eight featured homes you’ll notice how many homeowners and businesses go all out to Deck the Town for the Candlelight Tour which gets our tour goers in the holiday spirit. As always, our community comes together with pride to kick off the holiday season.

MRA is grateful to the attendees who come to tour each year, the proceeds from their tickets are essentially a donation which enables Marietta Restoration Associates to support and preserve our historic properties which maintains the history and integrity of our town.

The Candlelight Tour Committee works hard to make the tour a great experience for all tour goers and strives to keep it interesting and new each year. There is so much variety on the tour that guests to our town can spend a full day enjoying everything our town has to offer which includes local businesses and restaurants. Please plan to attend the 51st Tour. It’s always the first Sunday in December. MRA is currently looking for volunteers to help with the many projects and events they sponsor.

Prior To Tour We Host Two Free Events:SUNDAY, November 20th from 2:00-4:00 pm - Decorating

Workshop at the Union Meeting House - 80 N. Waterford Ave.

SATURDAY, November 26th from 6:30-8:30 pm – The Christmas Tree Lighting at the Old Town Hall Museum (located just across from the Union Meeting House). After Tree Lighting go over and see Santa at the Union Meeting House so you can tell him what you’d like for

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The 51st Annual Marietta Restoration Associates Candlelight Tour of Homes to Take Place on Sunday, December 4th

Abraham N. Cassel Mansion, one of the houses on tour this year

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Christmas. Refreshments and treats will be available for the kids.TOUR TRANSPORTATION

While the Tour is considered a walking tour, we will have three school buses and the Rivertown Trolley running through town for your convenience. The school buses run from 11:00-7:00 p.m. and the trolley runs from 11:00-5:00. Please keep in mind that if you park at the Donegal Intermediate School and you are planning to stay in town to see a show at the Susquehanna Theatre or to have dinner in town at one of our wonderful taverns and restaurants, that the buses stop running at 7:30. You will need to catch a bus back to the school to retrieve your vehicle and bring it into town - parking is free on Sundays.

Pre-tour ticket price is $18 and day of tour ticket price is $20 - to buy online go to our website mariettarestoration.org.

This year’s Tour is December 4, 2016. For more information about Marietta events check out our website: www.mariettarestoration.org or contact mariettafundraising@hotmail.com

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Memories Once Forgotten - The Perfect Christmas GiftsWritten by Trisha Ries

Christmas is that magical time of year where hearts grow three times their normal size, and you can smell the wonderment in the air. If you are anything like me, the joy of giving is far greater than the joy of receiving. Although, I must admit that I had some pretty amazing toys growing up and fond Christmas memories of seeing them for the first time; a Glo-Worm, Care Bear, Popple, Pound Puppy, Boglins, an Ewok Adventure Hut, and Fisher-Price adjustable roller skates (better known as death traps). Over the years you grow older and outgrow your favorite toys; I ended up donating the majority of my toys to Goodwill and Jubilee in Lebanon. I sometimes wish I had held onto them for nostalgia purposes, but I know they made some little girl or little boy happy and that makes me happy.

I get really excited about finding the perfect gift for my loved ones. I often aim to outdo myself from the year before, but I don’t always have the money that I wish I did, so I have to get creative and shop on a budget, or even make the gift if I have the materials available. It is amazing what you can find at local antique shops and eBay stores! Whenever I walk into Burning Bridge Antiques in Columbia it is like I took a joyride in my DeLorean, if I had a DeLorean. Anything from toys, vinyl, to tea sets can all make the perfect gift for a loved one. Several years ago I found a set of Russ Berrie sillisculpts at Salvation Army. My nana and papa had these on a shelf in their living room for as long as I could remember. I bought the set without a second thought, and gifted it to my mother for Christmas. I did not spend a fortune, but her reaction told me that I didn’t have to.

My joy of shopping got me thinking about Marietta Day and the Candlelight Tour. Our small town holds such amazing history, arts, and crafts; Marietta makes the perfect gift! Just by doing a quick Google search using the keywords “Marietta, PA” and “collectibles” I came

across a list of over fifteen different sellers on eBay selling such delights. Many of these shop owners are from Lancaster County, while others stretch out to New York. Shops and shop owners often get their materials from estate sales and auctions. Some

will find the perfect merchandise at the right price, and resell it for a profit. I contacted several of these shops, and one thing I know for sure, they really enjoy what they do.

One of my favorite pieces that I found on eBay was from seller “kellyfasnacht”. It is a postcard of Wild Cat Falls in Marietta, PA circa 1908. A purchase of this, placed in a frame, would be the perfect gift for any river rat. Know anyone that collects antique iron pots? Why not hit up seller “simbacurt” for their collection of beautiful Marietta, PA cast iron pots? For the serious collector, seller “antiquecottage” has a collection of antique deeds dating back to 1848! There really is something for everyone, even an antique letterhead from Waterford Pen Company, Marietta, PA circa 1910, available from seller “jaygould”. Whether your purchase is from eBay or a local shop, you can tell that these collectors put their care and pride in all of their pieces.

One thing to always keep in mind when shopping for collectibles is to know what you are looking at. If you aren’t sure whether the piece you found is authentic take a picture and send it to someone who does. Most shop owners will allow you to take a picture if you ask permission, or they may have a certificate of authenticity (depending on high forgery rates). It never hurts to ask a shop owner or seller about their collections. If they appear hesitant, I would consider that an answer in itself.

There is still plenty of time to find that perfect Christmas gift for your loved ones. Whether they moved out of town, love history, or a piece just screams to you; there is a plethora of possibilities at your fingertips. In the spirit of the holidays, I will leave you with this;

“May joy and peace surround you,Contentment latch your door,And happiness be with you,And bless you evermore.”

Happy Holidays everyone!

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Susquehanna Stage Company Announces a Pulitzer Prize Winning Season

Inspired by the recent win of the Broadway phenomenon Hamilton of the coveted Pulitzer Prize for drama, Marietta’s Community Theatre, the Susquehanna Stage Company (SSC) has chosen six former Pulitzer Prize winning plays and musicals for the 2017 season. An eclectic and challenging season awaits theatre goers at SSC, located on the grounds of the Marietta Community House at 264 West Market Street.

Season nine begins Feb. 10-19 with The Diary of Anne Frank, the true story of teenage Anne, hiding from the Nazi invasion in a Dutch attic during World War II. Directed by Holocaust scholar Matthew Good, this dark, somber, yet optimistic play has been a favorite story and part of history.

Next to Normal is a rock musical from the 2009 season on Broadway. This contemporary story revolves around the unraveling of a family as a wife/mother struggles with bipolar disorder. The show runs April 7-15.

More family dysfunction is at the center of Beth Henley’s 1979 Southern gothic black comedy-drama, Crimes of the Heart. Peek into the McGrath sisters’ lives as past resentments, unfulfilled hopes, and broken dreams consume their relationship. This show will be presented from June 9-18.

Dancers vying for jobs in a Broadway show tell their stories in the 1975 musical, A Chorus Line, running Aug. 11-20. This groundbreaking,

dazzling, tour de force musical-comedy features the popular anthem, “What I Did For Love”. Rarely attempted in a community theatre setting, this play promises triple-threat talent performing onstage in Marietta.

Tennessee Williams’ epic family opus, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof from 1955 brings Maggie, Brick, Big Daddy, Big Mama and their Mississippi plantation to life. Struggles with alcoholism, infidelity, honesty, and death play out among the large Southern family. This seering and controversial play runs Oct. 13-22.

Rent, the 1996 cult favorite rock musical about bohemian artists struggling to survive and connect in New York City amid poverty andHIV/AIDS rounds out the season Dec. 9-17. This popular musical is credited with bringing young people back to the theatre played on Broadway for years. Guest director Nick Smith (Little Shop of Horrors) is at the helm.

In addition to the six main-stage productions, the Children’s Workshop Production of Once Upon a Mattress is set for April 28-May 7.

Tickets are available for $22 each and a full season subscription (six shows) is $110 (one show free). For more information, visit susquehannastageco.com or call 717-426-1277.  See you at the theatre...We’ve got magic to do!

Breakfast Anyone?Written by Richard Washburn

There’s going to be a new eating place in Marietta. It’s called “Heart Café”.

Heart Café, at 17 East Market Street, is the dream of Leah Nagle. She and twenty one investors have come together, to form a community building venture bringing at least five

new jobs, and a new and exciting place for the residents of Marietta to congregate.

They are presenting a café atmosphere, with inside seating for approximately twenty six diners, plus a patio that is planned to be covered for all season dining. The menu will consist of food centered around fruit and fresh local vegetables from Lancaster County.

Heart Café will be a full service cafe, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and the menu will change with the seasons.

The projected opening date for Heart Café is sometime in January.

You can find more information through their website at www.heartcafe.us.

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Shared Office Space Rental in the Heart of Marietta Provides Flexible Options for Professional and Personal Use

As our culture increasingly moves toward freelancers and home-based businesses, co-working spaces are opening in cities and towns around the world. Shared work spaces are well received by a variety of professionals such as freelancers, start-ups, and larger companies who have employees working remotely. Sometimes the space may be focused on a particular industry, such as art or tech-related businesses. Co-working also provides natural leads for businesses to grow: a freelancer may get requests from clients for more work than they can handle or for services that are beyond the scope of what they offer, thus referrals happen naturally.

Marietta now has a co-working space for local people who work away from an office. Marietta WORKSPACE recently opened on the second floor of 42 West Market Street (above Express Laundry and Linens). Marietta WORKSPACE offers a unique shared work setting for professionals looking for affordable office solutions. The shared office consists of a combination of individual desks and a large work table that seats up to ten. There are several membership levels to accommodate

the diverse needs of participants. A conference room can be reserved for presentations or brainstorming sessions. Both rooms are available for rental during evening hours and can accommodate up to forty people for larger professional and

personal gatherings. Marietta WORKSPACE ensures that their clients have the amenities needed to work efficiently and comfortably. WiFi, printing, and coffee are offered during hours of operation.

“We have been surprised to see the diversity of people in the area who are seeking open office space solutions, not only due to cost savings, but for the flexibility and ease of idea sharing” says building owner,

Bev Kreider. “It’s a great way for professionals to find the right balance of peace and quiet, and the possibility for networking is created by working around others” adds Ms. Kreider.

If you are weary of working from the dining room table or a café, but not interested in renting a storefront or full office, co-working may be an option to consider. For more information, go to www.MariettaWorkspace.com or email MariettaWORKSPACE@gmail.com.

Written By Jack RiesIf you know me, you know that I have a love affair with food. Food is

always there for you, and it almost never lets you down. My eating habits may be beginning to catch up with me as I get older, but even so, I can’t resist trying new things at new places. That’s why I’ve taken an interest in Marietta’s newest catering business, Kristen’s Katering.

Kristen Kaylor, known to friends as “Fuddy”, is the owner and chef in charge of Kristen’s Katering. I was introduced to her by my wife, Trisha, and it wasn’t very long after meeting her, that I got my first taste of Kristen’s culinary skills. It was after sampling some of her food (many, many times), and being won over by her friendly, outgoing personality, that I decided to get the inside scoop on her new business and share that information with all of you.

Kristen has been cooking for friends and family for her entire life, having learned many of her skills, recipes, and secret tricks from her mother and her grandmothers. She has honed her catering skills over the past dozen years, preparing food for weddings, parties, and family events. She used to work full time and just do catering on the side, but demand for her handiwork at events grew so much that she had to take part-time hours at work, and eventually, quit working at her regular nine-to-five job to focus exclusively on cooking. At the start of 2016, she decided to make this her full-time career, and applied for her catering license, which she officially received this past April. Kristen is now running full-speed in catering mode, and her devotion to her craft shows up in everything she makes. As a man who has sampled much of her work, I can tell you that each dish is even more delicious than the last.

Much of her food would be considered home style cooking, and in fact, many of the recipes she utilizes are old family recipes that have been

handed down from generation to generation. But don’t let her family roots and down-home style fool you. Her food is prepped and presented just as well as any upper-crust restaurant, and tastes just as good. She will cook the tried and tested family favorites of macaroni and cheese, quiche, or ham loaf, but she can also serve you a four-star presentation of salmon with risotto, or seafood bisque. The possibilities are endless.

At this point, you might be wondering: “How have you been able to try all these delicious offerings, and where can I get my hands on some of this food?” Well, funny you should ask, because I was just about to get to that. Currently, Kristen is working out of a shared commercial kitchen in Mount Joy. She uses the kitchen not only to prepare her meals for scheduled catering events, but also for her weekly “What’s for Dinner?” Facebook events. Every week she will put a couple of entrees, sides, and desserts up for sale through her Facebook page, www.facebook.com/KristensKatering. Anyone can order, and pickup is on Wednesdays from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at the

Carriage House in Maytown (it’s just behind the post office). If you don’t want to commit to a full meal (but trust me, you should), you can also head down to Shank’s Tavern on Front Street in Marietta. She’s been cooking the cheesecakes for Shank’s since May of this year. If wine and music is more your style, she will have her food available at Free Music Fridays at the Vineyards at Grandview in Mount Joy. Kristen’s Katering is available for events, large

and small. She can also be contacted by phone at (717) 606-2399.Lastly, I should mention that some of the best cooking she’s ever done

was for the annual Shank’s Tavern gumbo cookoff. Just in case you were wondering, she’s a two-time champion at that event. I asked her how the crowd liked her gumbo. She answered by telling me that the first year she won, one fellow in particular kept coming up to her and asking for seconds, thirds, even fourth servings. At the end of the event, she was out of gumbo, much to the dismay of this food fan. When he asked if she had any more left, she jokingly said, “No, but you’re welcome to lick the bowl if you want.” And so of course, he did. And before you ask, no, it wasn’t me. But it very easily could have been.

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A Very Un-Moody Foodie

Host Your Next Event At Our Beautiful, Historic Union Meeting House!

80 N. Waterford Avenue, Marietta, PAMake your next event special when you host it at the Union Meeting House.

The Union Meeting House may be rented for Business Meetings & Corporate Events,

Reunions, Birthdays, Weddings, Bridal & Baby Showers, Anniversaries

and many other events.Event planning assistance available.

Tables/Chairs available.The Union Meeting House can accommodate

110-115 guests. Ample parkingFor more info: www.mariettarestoration.org

or call (717) 224-0170

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Did you know?Compiled by Trisha Ries

1719 - Three hundred acres of land were purchased by Indian trader Robert Wilkins along river, adjacent to property of George Stewart, also a trader. This includes the area that would become Marietta.

1803 - David Cook’s son lays out town of New Haven (east end of Marietta).

1804 - James Anderson IV lays out town of Waterford (west end of Marietta).

1812 - Anderson and Cook procure charter and name the town “Marietta”.

1816 - Market House erected on square; Union Meeting House construction on public burying ground authorized.

1876 - Marietta celebrates U.S. Centennial. First issue of The Marietta Times published on Thanksgiving; continues until early 1960s.

c.1880 - Mansions in Marietta are sites of lavish entertaining;  hosting Presidents Grant and Cleveland, Supreme Court justices, and railroad presidents.

1893 - Columbia and Donegal Electric Railway runs its first car from Columbia to Marietta through Chiques Hill Park.

1917 - Marietta sends men to serve their country, including Lt. Benjamin Heistand, in whose memory the Marietta Community House is dedicated.

“The First National Bank of Marietta”, became the first nationally chartered bank in Lancaster County, fifth in Pennsylvania, and was granted national charter number 25.  Nine shareholders purchased stock at $100.00 per share for a total initial capitalization of $60,000.00.

In colonial days, Marietta was a Susquehanna River crossing known as “Anderson’s Ferry”.

The Borough of Marietta has a population of 2,693 as of July 1, 2016.

Marietta Restoration Associates Holding T-Shirt Sale to Fund Clock Improvements

Marietta Restoration Associates is holding a t-shirt sale to raise money for the purchase of an automated clock winder for our town clock, located in Old Town Hall. The clock is currently being wound manually once a week by volunteers, the automated clock winder will replace the need for volunteers to undergo this laborious and time-consuming process. The bell and clock have been a part of Marietta for over 150 years and are seen as a symbol of our iconic river town.

The t-shirts are $25 each and are available in small, medium, large, XL, XXL, and XXXL. Only 144 of these shirts

were printed and will be a commemoration of this future achievement.

To order or for information, please contact Rebecca Carroll at rebeccacarroll@turkeyhill.com.

Thank you for your support!

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Written by Trevor WilliamsWell here we are, at last. The holidays are finally upon us and a tense

election is behind us (a foretoken as I write this). With everything that has happened, hopefully a sigh of relief will permeate through Marietta as we approach the end of an exhausting year. With that said, I would like to focus on a little bit of history that I hope, as readers, you will find interesting. Though we aren’t a political paper by any means, it must be said that the occurrence of certain political events in history is still very relevant to this column, paper, and Marietta as well.

One of the most influential of these events (if not the most) was when Abraham Lincoln won the 1860 election to become the first Republican president of the United States. For his platform, Lincoln campaigned against the spread of slavery to any states where it was not already legal. Almost immediately upon winning the election (he wasn’t even in office yet) Lincoln was notified that seven Southern states were announcing their secession from the country. With the rest of the country seeing secession as rebellious and illegal it didn’t take long before hostilities began…

The first attack was on April 12, 1861 at Fort Sumter, South Carolina, and lasted for two days. Immediately afterwards, Lincoln asked that each of the United States provide a volunteer army in response to the attack which incited four more Southern states to declare secession from the country. This was the start of the American Civil War and would continue until the 13th of May, 1865. To this day it is considered as one of America’s bloodiest wars with a death count well over 600,000 people.

It has been conveyed to me before by Ray McCeeby that Old Town Hall has enough Civil War paraphernalia to erect a separate Civil War museum. That alone should hint to how engrossed Marietta was in the Civil War effort. It is impossible for me to go into any great detail (as always) with this piece, but I would like to convey some very interesting information to you.

In the beginning, the Borough of Marietta was somewhat divided on the issue. There were Democrats in town, such as Colonel James Duffy, who were against the war and blamed abolitionists for inciting hostilities by fighting for equal rights for black people. If you remember, Colonel Duffy was a wealthy lumber businessman and entrepreneur. He was an avid supplier to various U.S. forts out west as far as New Mexico and as such he saw any war effort as a threat to his businesses and livelihood. He had lived in what still today is known as Duffy’s Mansion on West Market Street.

Many of the newly-formed

Republicans during that time were proud to openly stand for the abolition of slavery. One of the more colorful of these Republicans was a certain Dr. Samuel Houston. Dr. Houston would make it a point to take as many escaped slaves into his employment as he could (he was also involved in the lumber business at that time). If a former slave was found out, Houston would send them to safety through the Underground Railroad. Many other escaped slaves under Dr. Houston’s employment would later take up arms against the South as part of the division United States Color Troops or U.S.C.T.

Dr. Houston first moved to Marietta just after the War of 1812 to practice medicine. He had been a well-respected member of the community but was known for holding radical opinions that he often shared with his long-time friend Thaddeus Stevens of Lancaster County. Engaging in various businesses, river, lumber, etc., he would purchase great quantities of various raw materials that he would store in warehouses along the river. Re-selling these goods, he would then ship the materials down the Susquehanna on arks to Port Deposit, Maryland, where they would continue on to Baltimore on schooners. Dr. Houston’s

two story brick house can be seen on the northwest corner of Market Square.

Unfortunately, many of the town residents didn’t agree with Houston’s methods. Not only was a $25 “bounty” placed for anyone who could scare him out of town but he was also chased by an angry mob with threats of hanging. It has been purported that, alone with his words and temper, he promised such punishment in retaliation against his assailants that the mob eventually fled. Whether this is really true or not, we’ll probably never know but it is an interesting

TOKENS of HISTORYOf a Brother’s Blood

A cannon from the Civil War that’s located in Old Town Hall

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story, to say the least.Many other characters of valor and charisma that lived and

participated during this time were the women of Marietta, many of which were part of a coalition known as The Lady’s Patriot Circle. Though they didn’t participate in the war, directly, the women of Marietta were a strong force to be reckoned with. They were the pillars that clothed, fed, and nursed the men to health during the men’s furloughs or breaks between campaigns. They were also very influential when it came to inspiring morale for the war effort which will be discussed a little later.

So far I’ve written mostly about the non-military members of Marietta during the Civil War. During the war there was professional military and then the volunteer military that Lincoln had asked for to help in the serious endeavor. When concerning the actual volunteer military that participated during the war, there were five different Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantries or PVI’s: the 45th, 79th, 93rd, 107th, and 135th. Let us take some time to look more specifically at the 107th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry and its captain, Emanuel Dyer Roath, as he was a long time Mariettian of some renown who showed great accomplishments during the Civil War.

At the time of his volunteered enlistment in October of 1861, Roath was already forty one years of age. Having lived and worked in Marietta previously as a teacher, farmer, and lawyer and having served in the Pennsylvania Legislature for a single term, Emanuel Roath was already a very well respected member of the community. It was most likely because of this deep respect that he was able to raise a company of three hundred local soldiers which he would preside over as captain. In early 1862, in recognition of his previous achievements and as a show of confidence in his future military exploits, The Lady’s Patriot Circle along with his wife, Harriet, had collected local funds for the purchase of a superbly crafted sword to present Roath before his departure. The sword was presented to Roath in Harrisburg in front of a crowd of soldiers, spectators, Lady Patriots, a committee of purchase, with his friend and colleague, Reverend Grosh, as speaker.

For the rest of that year, the 107th PVI saw a decent amount of combat and many of the battles fought were historically horrific such as the Second Battle of Bull Run, South Mountain, and Antietam, which is still known as bloodiest single-day battle in American history with the combined death toll being about twenty three thousand. Antietam was a much needed Union victory at that time and President Lincoln had capitalized on the opportunity to issue the Emancipation Proclamation which would eventually free any and all slaves within the ten Confederate rebel states.

Later in 1863, the 107th PVI fought at Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. During the first days of Gettysburg, it was Roath who personally led his regiment due to his commanding officer sustaining injury on the first day of battle. After the war, a monument was erected in Gettysburg honoring the 107th PVI and Roath for their exemplary contribution.

Again in 1864, Roath participated in two more campaigns, the Overland Campaign from May 16th to June 15th and then the Petersburg Campaign from June 16th to August 19th. It was on August 19th that most of Roath’s division was captured during a flanking attack of the Confederate forces at the Battle of Weldon Railroad. Roath would spend the remainder of the war as a prisoner being held first at the Libby prison in Virginia, then for a short time (two weeks) at the Salisbury Prison in North Carolina, and then back up to Virginia to the Danville prison until his eventual return and release at the Libby prison in March of 1865. When reading his journal, you can tell that Roath was treated fairly well for a prisoner, most likely because he was enlisted as a volunteer soldier. Upon release, Roath returned home to Marietta where he stayed until his death in 1907. Articles that once belonged to Roath can be found both in our own Old Towne Hall museum and the Bureau of the State Museum of Pennsylvania.

Even though I only was able to write about a very select few of individuals and minimally summarize the Civil War efforts of Mariettians, I hope that I have been able elucidate a little on the then very pressing historic situation. Entire books could be written on the Marietta inhabitants during the Civil War.

As my closing remarks, I leave it to the reader to contemplate on these events and their inference to the events of today. Marietta’s contribution to the American Civil War was by no means trivial. Everyone during that dark and trying time contributed their time, worth, and lives to an unprecedented declaration of liberty and justice for all. There was no room for complacency or apathy.

Thank you all for reading! My sources for this article were The Scoop on Marietta: A Small River Town, by Lyn Baker Alarie, A Fine Day, Emanuel Roath’s journal transcribed and edited by John P. Mulcahy, and Wikipedia. With that said, I would like to announce that this will be my last Token’s of History article for the time being. I will be taking a break to pursue other Traveler responsibilities as well as taking the time to further my research in Marietta history so that I can return with more in depth material. Thank you again for all your feedback and encouragement. It was my pleasure to write for you these past two years. Have a wonderful holiday season and please keep reading!

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Written by Adam Jenkins

“I gotta have this” was Stephen Ulrich’s first thought when he heard that Marietta Restoration Associates was seeking a new occupant for the former Farmer’s First Bank in Marietta.

Ulrich and his wife, Abby, have an appreciation for historic architecture and the bank building at 100 West Market Street abounds with it. Built in 1875, the bank features a grand high-ceiling lobby and a gorgeous pre-World War Two vault among many other architectural features. Those architectural features inspired Ulrich’s vision for the future of the building. “As soon as I walked in, I thought ‘escape game’” said Ulrich.

In an escape game, groups of participants are first “locked” in a room. Clues are given to the participants who then have to solve the clues to “escape” the room.

The escape game at First National Escape, the name chosen by Ulrich that plays off of the “First National Bank” sign that adorns the building, will feature three rooms including the bank’s classic York Safe & Lock Company vault. Clues will be placed in actual safety deposit boxes that were used at the bank and other vintage bank

artifacts will be a part of the game. “Escapers” will be able to play as bank customers, with the lights on, or as bank robbers, with the lights off.

Ulrich has a long familiarity with the bank building, having grown up just down the block. He even recalls a time when the building was still used for banking: “I made my first deposit here as a kid.” Marietta Restoration Associates (MRA) had been using the building in the post-banking years, but the plan was always to find a new business for the space: “This building has far too much charm and history to go under-used, and Stephen has the creativity and appreciation for the history of the building to make this a good fit. I expect big things from ‘First National Escape’” said David White, President of MRA.

Ulrich plans to open First National Escape in late November. Initially, the escape room will be open on Friday nights, and Saturday and Sunday afternoons, but Ulrich hopes to expand those hours to meet demand, eventually. For more information about First National Escape, you can visit their website at firstnationalescape.com or their Facebook page at

facebook.com/firstnationalescape.

First National Bank Building to Become “First National Escape”

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Marietta Community House Committee to Launch Digital Walking Tour of Marietta

Written by Linda Ross

A total of three hundred and seventy-three buildings in town are listed on the National Register of Historic Places because they are preserved and contribute to the largely nineteenth century streetscapes around Marietta. It is always striking how familiar the many old postcard views are to our present-day eyes, but the importance of all these buildings is not only architectural. These buildings also illustrate the story of the people who lived here and made Marietta a “boom and bust” town during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Years ago, the Marietta Restoration Associates published a walking tour brochure that featured many of Marietta’s historic buildings. Over the years there had been talk of updating this illustrated guide and most recently a group of Community House history enthusiasts decided to take on the task. Not long into their extensive research and selection project, they became aware of a type of town tour that can be accessed through GPS on digital devices including smart phones. This format is being produced by a Lititz – based company called “Tutouria” and its productions include spoken narration, background music, and a selection of old photos of a particular historical site. A participant can stand in front of a particular building, hit a QR code and its story pops up on his phone or tablet.

Eager to engage younger generations who rely on their digital devices in Marietta’s historic architecture and the stories behind so many places in town, the Community House group engaged Erik Schouten at Tutouria and “Discover Marietta PA” was born. The committee has been sending him photographs and stories pertaining to the Community House, the Railroad Depot, the Vesta Furnace building and ten sites along Front Street. These sites will comprise Phase One of the tour. This almost-finished phase is proving to be quite a production with ragtime music accompanying historic accounts of taverns, more somber selections supporting dramatic tales of town fathers’ patriotic acts and driving rhythms enhancing historical accounts of the railroad. Included are many old photographs showing the iron industry, canal traffic, floods, and residences as they appeared at various times over history.

The increasing numbers of bicyclists in the borough was another factor driving the choice of a digital tour. Visitors will discover it through trail signage and yellow and black rack cards placed in boxes around town. Participants can do any number of sites depending on their time constraints.

When the Walking Tour Committee, which includes Lyn Baker Alari, Vivian Carroll, James Landis, Margaret Landis, Linda Ross and Karen Sullivan compiled the list to illustrate the town’s narrative, a total of sixty seven buildings were identified. Therefore, the tour would need to be created in phases. The first phase should be available to the public in the near future. Look for the yellow and black rack card displays as well as smaller black cards in windows with “Tutouria – every town has a story” and a QR code printed on them. There will also be notification on the Community House’s website, www.mariettacommunityhouse.org.

www.mariettarestoration.org

Do you love the historic character and the sense of community here in Marietta?

Are you interested in serving your town? If so, please consider volunteering with

Marietta Restoration Associates. For more information, please email

mariettara@gmail.com, and get involved today!

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